The research of Dr. Lynn Harrison was recently selected by NASA’s Space Biology Program as one of three space biology proposals to prepare for future research on the surface of the moon. Only a few biological experiments have been conducted beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), meaning the biological effects of conditions beyond LEO are still poorly understood. Dr. Harrison’s research project, “Investigating Lunar Stress and Parkinson's Disease using an Alpha Synuclein Yeast Model,” along with the two other projects selected, seek to widen NASA’s understanding of biological responses beyond LEO by preparing experiments in which yeast, a eukaryotic microorganism, will be grown and monitored on the lunar surface utilizing the BioSensor hardware. The three selected investigators will work with a team of NASA engineers for hardware integration and testing from 2022-2025 utilizing $900,000 in grant funding.

My research interests are in oxidative stress, DNA damage, and DNA repair in the nucleus and mitochondria with a focus on radiation biology and oxidative DNA damage. I have worked in the radiation biology field as well as the DNA repair field for 30 years and have run an independent lab for 21 years. I have worked extensively on how cells repair radiation clustered lesions. By understanding how cells handle DNA damage, the lab aims to understand how DNA repair mechanisms can be manipulated to kill cancer cells undergoing radiotherapy. A relatively new interest in the lab relates to the use of hydrogen sulfide as an adjuvant treatment to radiosensitize glioblastoma cells and potentially protect the brain microvasculature. Radiotherapy of the brain can result in radiation vasculopathy and as brain cancer treatments improve it will be important to prevent vasculopathy to prevent late radiation side effects, such as stroke. Therefore, we are interested in whether hydrogen sulfide can protect the microcirculation from late radiotherapy damage. Other previous funding has been obtained from NCI, NASA, AHA and NIA.

During my 22 years as a PI, I have trained 20 high school students, 14 undergraduate students and have been the major professor for 6 graduate students, who have completed their degrees. I have also been on 20 other student dissertation committees. I have taught students one on one in the lab and lectured and directed courses for undergraduate, PhD and masters students as well as medical students. My experience in the field of radiation biology, oxidative stress, DNA repair, cell culture, molecular biology and education will allow me to mentor graduate, undergraduate and high school students. 

Selected Publications

1. R. Carlisle, C.A. Rhoads, T.Y. Aw, L.Harrison (2002).  Endothelial cells maintain a reduced redox environment even as mitochondrial function declines.  American Journal Physiology- Cell Physiology 283, C1675-1686.
2. Malyarchuk, S., Youngblood, R., Landry#, A.M., Quillin#, E., Harrison, L. (2003). The mutation frequency of 8-oxo-7,8 dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) situated in a multiply damaged site: Comparison of a single and two closely opposed 8-oxoG.  DNA Repair 2, 695-705. PMID: 12767348.
3. Harrison,L., Brame,K., Geltz#,L. and Landry#,A. (2006). Closely opposed apurinic/apyrimidinic sites are converted to double strand breaks in Escherichia coli even in the absence of exonuclease III, endonuclease IV, nucleotide excision repair and AP lyase cleavage. DNA Repair 5, 324-335.
4. Abshire*,C., Prasai*,K., Soto*,I., Shi,R., Concha,M.,Baddoo,M., Flemington, E., Ennis,D., Scott, R., and Harrison, L. (2016). The Effects of Low Shear Simulated Microgravity on Mycobacterium marinum: Growth, Survival and Gene expression. Nature Publishing Journal Microgravity 2, 16038; doi:10.1038/npjmgrav.2016.38.
5. Anandharaj, A., Ekshyyan, O., Jia, Y., Rong, X., Harrison, L., Shi, R., Scott, R.S., Nathan, C.A. (2016). EBV and not HPV sensitizes tobacco-associated head and neck cancer cell line FaDu to radiotherapy. Acta Otolaryngol.136, 354-62.
6. Wright*,D., Castore,R., Ennis,D.G. Mallick*,A., Harrison, L. (2017). Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium marinum non-homologous end-joining proteins can function together to join DNA ends in Escherichia coli. Mutagenesis 32 (2): 245-256.
7. Prasai*,K., Robinson,L.C., Scott,R.S., Tatchell,K., Harrison,L. (2017). Evidence for double-strand break mediated mitochondrial DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nucleic Acids Research 45, 7760-7773.
8. Prasai*,K., Robinson,L.C., Tatchell,K., Harrison,L. (2018). Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mhr1 can bind Xho I-induced mitochondrial DNA double-strand breaks in vivo. Mitochondrion 42, 23-32.
9. Adam Y. Xiao*, Matthew R. Maynard, Cortt G. Piett, Zachary D. Nagel, J. Steven Alexander, Christopher G. Kevil, Michael V. Berridge, Christopher B. Pattillo, Lane R. Rosen, Sumitra Miriyala, Lynn Harrison (2019). Sodium sulfide selectively induces oxidative stress, DNA damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction and radiosensitizes glioblastoma (GBM) cells. Redox Biology 26, 101220.

Complete List of my Published Work in MyBibliography: LEARN MORE
 

Post-doctoral Fellows

While we are not currently recruiting Post-doctoral Fellows, quality candidates will always be considered.  To enquire about opportunities, contact Dr. Harrison at lynn.clary@lsuhs.edu.

Graduate Students

Graduate students interested in conducting research in the Harrison lab should review the current laboratory research directions and contact Dr. Harrison at lynn.clary@lsuhs.edu.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

We are not currently hiring any additional undergraduates. However, positions can become available during the summer.

Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows

The Harrison laboratory has a number of research projects available for any Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows interested in performing research in the following areas: oxidative stress, DNA damage, and DNA repair in the nucleus and mitochondria with a focus on radiation biology and oxidative DNA damage. Those interested should contact Dr. Harrison directly at lynn.clary@lsuhs.edu.